Author Joyce Carol Oates, who penned the Marilyn Monroe biographical fiction novel “Blonde” upon which this weekend’s Netflix film is based, has weighed in on the discourse surrounding the controversial movie by filmmaker Andrew Dominik.
Having been quiet about the film in the lead-up to its release, Oates answered some questions from fans on Twitter today, including ones about the backlash the film has received, saying it exploits Monroe’s trauma in its “fictionalized retelling” of her life and death.
The film loosely recreates several tragedies during Monroe’s life, from childhood abuse by her mother to sexual assaults within the Hollywood industry.
Though Dominik has said Oates’ work was his guiding light in the project, dubbing it “Joyce’s vision of Marilyn” in interviews, Oates herself was not involved in the movie’s production. She says:
“I think it was/ is a brilliant work of cinematic art obviously not for everyone. Surprising that in a post#MeToo era the stark exposure of sexual predation in Hollywood has been interpreted as ‘exploitation.’ Surely Andrew Dominik meant to tell Norma Jeane’s story sincerely.
[The film is] not for the faint of heart. The director is unflinching, and intransigent. The last 20 minutes or so are almost too powerful to be viewed. Overall, brilliant cinematography & performance by Ana de Armas.
Some see the exposure of sexual mistreatment of Marilyn Monroe as ‘exploitation’ & others [will] see it as a revelation of how a gifted young woman was treated in Hollywood & elsewhere, pre#MeToo.”
The comments come as social media, whilst offering universal acclaim for de Armas herself, is proving very divided on the movie, with labels of it being sexist, detestable, and cruel.
Dominik himself hasn’t helped matters in interviews. In an interview with Sight & Sound Magazine he says he’s more interested in creating a film based on specific images and emotions than he is on reality. Meanwhile, an outtake from the interview shared on Twitter sees Dominik asking if anyone actually watches Marilyn Monroe films anymore.
Source: Twitter
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October 01, 2022 at 09:15AM
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